Opener for hairpins



May 15, 1951 P. E. FORMICA OPENER FOR HAIRPINS Filed Nov. 20, 1947 Ihwentor 5. %mww Clttornegs Patented May 15, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE OPENER FOR HAIRPINS Peter E. Formica, Bridgeport, Conn.

Application November 20, 1947, Serial No. 787,062

This invention relates to a device for opening folded hairpins, particularly hairpins of the socalled bobby type, and has for an object to provide a simple and effective means for opening these pins preparatory to applying them to the hair with a simple and easily performed operation.

Another object is to provide such a device which will occupy little space and may be readily carried and set up for use.

With the foregoing and other objects in View it have devised the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification. It is, however, to be understood the invention is not limited to the specific details of construction and arrangement shown, but may embody various changes and modifications within the scope of the invention.

In this drawing:

Fig. 1 is a partial end View and partial section of one form of the device showing the method of use;

Fig. 2 is a side view looking from the right of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing a somewhat modified construction, and

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the device of Fig. 3.

In their normal condition, folded hairpins, particularly those of the so-called bobby type, comprise two side members or legs folded to lie closely adjacent and side by side, one leg being somewhat longer than the other, and in applying these to the hair it is normally necessary to separate these leg portions to open up the pins. Various methods are employed for this opening operation, a common method being to use the teeth, with resultant injury to the teeth by notching or cracking of the enamel, and other devices have been devised, some comprising a device to be held between the teeth and others involving more or less complicated devices to be used on a dressing-table or other support.

The present device is designed to overcome the objections of these prior devices and to more elficiently and easily perform the operation of opening such pins and also to devise a device which may be readily carried and set up or anchored in place of use. Referring first to Figs. 1 and 2, the device comprises an upright block I which may be formed of any suitable material, but preferably is made of some molded plastic material and is of general wedge shape, as shown in Fig. l, with its narrowest edge II at the top, and the opposite side walls l2 tapered downwardly and outwardly in opposite directions 5 Claims. (Cl. 132--1) 2 from this edge, and preferably these surfaces are curved somewhat, as shown, to provide convex outer surfaces. In its side walls, and also preferably across the end walls, the device is provided with horizontal grooves 13 and hi providing an abrupt upper shoulder l5 which may be used to grip and hold the end It of the longer leg ll of a folded hairpin l8 of the bobby type of pin, as shown at the left of Fig. 1, 'so that by forcing upwardly on the other leg l9 it may be opened as indicated. The general wedge shape or tapered form of the device can also be used as a wedge to open these pins, as indicated by the pin 18a and its dotted line position. In this use of the device, the open end of the pin is placed with the free ends of the legs straddling the upper edge II, as shown in full lines Fi 1, and then forced downwardly to the dotted line position, during which action the tapered shape of the block acts as a wedge to separate the legs or open the pin so that it may be held in this position by fingers of the user for application to the hair.

Some suitable means is provided to support and anchor the device and hold it stationary when in use. That shown in Figs. 1 and 2 comprises a rubber vacuum cup 20 secured to the lower side of the block [0 by any suitable means, such, for example, as forming the block It with a flanged extension 2| and molding it into the upper part of the cup 20. This forms a very effective means for supporting the deviceon and anchoring it to some supporting medium, such as the top 22 of a dressing table or a mirror or any other suitable supporting means. In the form of Figs. 3 and 4, instead of using the flexible rubber vacuum cup 26, the block is mounted on a cupped sheet metal or plastic member 23 having a flange 24 by means of which it may be secured to the supporting means 22 by any suitable fastening means, such as the screws '25. The block It may be mounted and secured to the supporting means by any suitable means, such, for example, as a threaded stud 26 secured in the lower end of the block passing through the member 23 and secured by any suitable nut 21.

It will be seen from the above that the device is a very simple one and may be easily carried in a handbag; also that it may be readily secured and anchored in use, and is very rapid in operation in opening this type of hairpin, in that it requires merely either a downward motion from the top of-the block with the pin in the upright position, as shown at l8a, Fig. 1,

or the pin when held in the thumb and fingers may be passed upwardly over the outer surface to bring the free end ill of the longer leg into one of the grooves or under one of the shoulders I5 where it is held while the other leg is forced upwardly to open the pin, as indicated at 18 in Fig. 1. This is a very simple operation and may be done very rapidly. The curved or convex surface I2 facilitates both of these different operations, the curvature preventing the ends of the pins becoming seated and then stopped by the groove in forcing the pin downwardly from the top in the wedging action, and the curvature readily guiding the end of the pin into the groove or to a position to engage the shoulder at the top of the groove, this curvature causing in effect a slight overhang-of the shoulder so that it is readily engaged by the end of the pin. In either mounting for the block it is rigidly held and anchored'to readily overcome any force which may be necessary to be applied to the device in the pin opening operation, and therefore it is not necessary to use both hands in opening the pins.

Having thus set forth the nature of my invention, I claim:

1. In a device of the character described for opening hairpins, an upright 'bloc'kha'ving inclined side walls extending'dow'nwardl'y and outwardly from an upper longitudinal edge, said side walls being provided with a longitudinal groove including an abrupt shoulder'at the top of the groove adapted to engage and hold the end of the longer leg of a bobby type of pin to open it by upward pressure on the pin, and a support for the block.

2. A device of the character described for'opening hairpins, comprising an upright 'blook'including a longitudinal top edge and downwardly and outwardly convexly curved side walls on opposite sides of said edge forming a substantially wedge shaped block, each sidewall being provided with a longitudinal groove including a shoulder at the upper edge of the groove adapted to engage and hold the end ofthe longer leg of a bobb'y"'type of pin to open it by upward pressure on the pin, and a support for the block.

3. A device of the character described for opening hairpins, comprising an upright block provided with side walls inclined downwardly and outwardly from an upper longitudinal edge, said side walls being provided with longitudinal downwardly facing shoulders to engage and hold the end of the longer leg of a bobby type of pin while upward pressure is applied to the other leg to open the pin, and a support for holding the block.

4. A device of the character described for opening hairpins, comprising an upright block including a longitudinal top edge and downwardly and outwardly inclined convexly curved side walls on the opposite sides of said edge forming a substantially wedge shaped block, each side wall being provided with a longitudinal shoulder adapted to engage and hold the end of the longer leg of a bobby type hairpin while force is applied to the other leg and shift it away from the'first leg to open the pin, and a support for holding the block.

5. 'A device of the character described for opening hairpins, "comprising a substantially wedge shaped block including "side walls "and a longitudinal edge at the junction of said walls, one of said walls being an inclined side wall'extending way 'fromsaid edge, said side wall'being provided with a "longitudinal shoulder arranged to engage andhold'the 'endof'the longer leg of a bobby type'hairpin'while force is 'applied to the other leg 'toshift it away'from the first leg to open the pin, and a'support'for holding the block.

PETER E. 'FORMICA.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

'UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date D.153,758 Bennett May 17,1949 D.153,810 Koslap May 1'7, 1949 2,226,237 Cooper Dec. 24, 1940 2,444,378 Sewol June 29, 1948 

